WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. increases, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to supply public testing facilities at the state and local levels with additional testing kits to match the increase in demand, U.S. First District Congressman Roger Marshall said. President Donald Trump and his administration continue to work with state health departments to ensure that anyone who should be tested has the ability to be tested and given results in a timely manner.

“The CDC continues to work with state health officials to provide states with additional testing capabilities,” Marshall said. “By the end of the week, the CDC will have more than 4 million tests ready to ship to public labs across the U.S. We have the capability to test those who need tested and the CDC has provided our physicians with the ability to test anyone they believe should be tested. This is not a time for panic but instead a time to put into place those practices and procedures we have been taught to reduce the spread of germs. My office has been in communication with the CDC almost daily and I am confident in the work being done by President Trump and this administration to support our health care providers and control the spread of this virus.”  

On March 5, the CDC broadened its guidance for testing, allowing clinicians to test a wider group of individuals that will include, but is not limited to, anyone showing symptoms compatible with COVID-19, has had contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19 or has traveled from a geographical area with a confirmed COVID-19 case.  

“We have been in communication with physicians from my district and we have not received complaints of an inability to test a patient they felt warranted testing,” said Rep. Marshall. “As this outbreak continues, I am confident we have the tests and laboratory capabilities in place to handle the influx of testing requests and ensure those that should be tested are receiving proper care. I am pleased with the continued cooperation between private and federal health care leaders to ensure that those who need to be tested have the ability to do so without the burden of cost or availability,” said Rep. Marshall. “We will get through this.”